Duterte to inaugurate ‘The Bunker’

BALANGA CITY — President Duterte is set to inaugurate Thursday, the P1.3-billion modern edifice dubbed as “The Bunker” that replaces the Bataan Capitol building in this component city.

Workers on Wednesday were rushing finishing touches on the different floors and surroundings in time for the Presidents’ arrival scheduled at 2 p.m.

The seven-storey building has 26 parking slots at the basement and a roof top. It has a total floor area of more than 23,000 square meters with each floor having an area of 3,200 square meters.

It was built under the Private- Public-Partnership program between MTD Alloy and the Provincial Government of Bataan. It is MTD Alloy’s second project in Central Luzon under the PPP Law, the first being the government center in Palayan City in Nueva Ecija.

MTD Alloy, a Malaysian conglomerate, funded the project for P1 billion while the provincial government shared in the lot and P300 million for the fit-outs.

The provincial government, banks, and other agencies will rent the office spaces in the building from the Malaysian company. After 25 years, MTD Alloy will turn over the building to the provincial government.

The ground floor is reserved for three banks and commercial enterprises while the 2nd floor is for the One- Stop Government Center to house both local government units and national government agencies under one roof.

Pag-IBIG, National Bureau of Investigation and other government agencies will be among those housed at the 2nd floor.

To be located at the 3rd floor are the Register of Deeds, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, Land Transportation Office, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Bureau of Internal Revenue.

The 4th and 7th floors will be occupied by the sangguniang panlalawigan, different departments of the provincial government and national government offices.

A replica of a World War II armored tank of Filipino and American soldiers can be found at the entrance of the building as if guarding “The Bunker.” Portions of the building show signs as if hit by bombs or cannon fire.

A bunker is a military dugout or reinforced concrete shelter to protect soldiers and valued materials from falling bombs. The building was so named to remind that Bataan stood its ground even in those trying moments during World War II.

Provincial board member Romano Del Rosario, chair of the committee on tourism, underscored the benefits to be gained from the building.